Holding

by Erika Gabrielsen Neumann

hand reaching  
sensing how close  
to catch the pinky finger  
or couple a grip on one pointer finger  
hands together  
making it through  

like gentle gossamer of one dandelion parachute  
catching a blade of grass  
we coupled into a grip  
like the strong magnets  
not the wimpy ones  
fastening pictures to our fridge  

in bitter cold down to see the lobster boats  
in the dark as we cross that New York Avenue your first time 
on that sunny 4th of July parade day with the terror of clowns  
(even though we knew them all under their makeup)  
your hardest, sweaty grip  

down to Central Landing Thanksgiving Day  
in your green puff jacket, no gloves  
little you melded hands of your big sister  
ten inches taller, she protected you from tripping  
on the rocks poking out of the dirt and sand road  
making it through  
holding  
as one